For the First Time
by FaithInHim4ever
Summary: Takes place after the episode "The Birthday Present." Monica and Tess help Gloria understand the concept of free will and Gloria learns to seek comfort from Monica. R/R


DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the characters from TBAA. They belong to Martha Williamson. I do however own Monica's special name for Gloria.

God loves you!

A/N: This story idea came to mind after reading about "The Birthday Present." I hope everyone likes this continuation!

"For the First Time"

Gloria sat there, not saying a word. She was feeling too confused and she could feel tears welling up in her innocent brown eyes. She didn't understand how one person could hurt an innocent child. She also couldn't understand how someone could have so much love for another Human being, that they would sacrifice themselves for that person.

Gloria knew that some Human beings had the capacity to do kind and unbelievably selfless things for others. But what the youngest angel had witnessed in the last day or so was just too much for her to handle emotionally.

Monica noticed her case worker and best friend's mood change the moment they left the hospital. She figured Gloria was just tired, so she didn't call her on it. But after Gloria's mood had lasted for a day and a half, the Irish angel knew it was more than just fatigue from the assignment. Something else was bothering her 'little one and she was determined to figure out what it was.

As Gloria gazed out over the river, she heard a familiar Irish lilt meet her ears.

"Gloria? Can we talk, little one?"

Gloria glanced up to see Monica sit down next to her. She nodded, although talking was the last thing the newly created angel wanted to do.

The youngest angel turned away as the back of her eyes started to sting. She hadn't cried since Madeline's death nearly two months before. She was getting used to feeling different emotions, but she knew one thing. She didn't like feeling the bad ones. She was slowly learning how to use her heart more and more as the weeks went by. But little did Gloria know what emotional roller coaster she was about to experience.

"Gloria?" Monica repeated, not sure her case worker had heard her the first time. "Can we talk?"

Gloria took a deep breath and turned around to face her supervisor and fast becoming best friend.

"Okay." She replied. "What's up?"

Monica smiled, despite the situation. Her 'little one was cute.

"Well, that's what I wanted to ask you." The Irish angel replied.

"What do you mean?" Gloria asked, not sure where her supervisor was going with this conversation.

"Well, you've been quieter than usual. Is somethin' wrong?"

Gloria shook her head, but Monica could see right through her facade.

"Gloria, you know you can talk to me, right?" The elder angel asked.

Gloria nodded. She turned away as her eyes started to sting with unshed tears.

Heaving a sigh, Monica reached out and rested a hand on Gloria's right shoulder.

"What is it, little one? What's wrong?" She asked. Her gentle Irish lilt was tinged with concern and her brown eyes were pleading for Gloria to talk to her. She hated seeing Gloria upset, but the Irish angel knew that in order for Gloria to feel better, she was going to have to face the problem head on.

Gloria turned around and locked gazes with her supervisor.

In the instant that the two angels made eye contact, the dam burst and the tears gushed forth.

"Gloria…" Monica held her arms out to her distraught case worker who was more like a daughter to her. She pulled Gloria in for a hug, hoping it would help her feel better.

As Gloria's tears continued to fall, Monica combed her fingers through her hair, knowing it would help her calm down.

"Gloria, it's okay, it's okay." Monica soothed. "Whatever it is, it's gonna be okay. You're safe, little one. Monica has you. I'm right here. You're safe."

Gloria let out a sob that broke the Irish angel's heart.

"Gloria, what is it? What's wrong?" Monica asked. She prayed Gloria would talk to her soon.

A few minutes later, Gloria spoke. Her voice was tearful and full of pain. It was also full of a desperate desire for understanding.

"I just…I can't stop thinking about Sarah and what she had to go through! How could someone hurt an innocent child like that? I don't understand!"

Monica pulled Gloria closer and planted a motherly kiss on her left cheek.

"I don't know, sweetheart. I just don't know. Some Humans use free will in the wrong way." She paused before continuing to speak. "Some assignments get to you more than others do. Believe me, I know. I've felt the same way you're feelin' now. But I promise you, you will feel better."

"Why did you tell me to put the gun back?" Gloria asked, her voice no less tearful. "I wasn't gonna hurt anyone! I just wanted to help!"

"I know, Gloria, I know. And God knows too. He does, little one."

"Then why did you tell me to put it back!" The youngest angel repeated.

"The reason I told you to put the gun back, Gloria, was because angels can't interfere with a Human's free will. That's not what God sent us to Earth to do."

"I know, but…" Gloria's voice trailed off as another sob escaped her lips. "Their earthly father hurt them so badly! They were just kids!"

"Shh, I know, sweetheart. I know. Gloria, it's all right that you're upset. It is. But I want you to listen to me." The Irish angel instructed kindly.

Just then, Gloria let out a sob before starting to cough.

"Gloria, it's all right. That's it. You're okay. Try and take a deep breath. Settle. It's all right."

Gloria tried and succeeded the second time around.

"Good girl. That's it. Listen to me, little one. Like I said before, some assignments will get to you more than others will. But you need to remember the Father is in control."

"I know, but it's hard!" She cried, another sob escaping her lips.

"I know it is, sweetheart. I know what you're goin' through, Gloria. I do. I've felt that way many times before."

Gloria just buried her face in her supervisor's shoulder as more tears came.

All Monica could do was hold Gloria and assure her she wasn't going anywhere.

Just then, Gloria spoke.

"I'm sorry!" She apologized, taking Monica by surprise.

"Why are you apologizin' little one? You have nothin' to be sorry for."

"I shouldn't let an assignment get to me." Gloria replied, trying in vein to calm down.

Monica shook her head.

"Gloria, you don't have to be sorry for bein' upset. The reason you're so upset is because you care about people. And that means you have a heart. That's a good thing. You never have to be sorry for that."

"It hurts!" Gloria cried, her tearful voice making her supervisor fight back her own tears.

"I know it does, Gloria. I know. It's all right. You're gonna feel better soon. I promise. I'm right here and I'm not leavin' you."

Just then, Tess appeared. She had a basket full of food in her hand.

When Tess saw the state Gloria was in, she put the basket down and rushed to her 'little angel's side. She knew better than to try and take her from Monica, so the superior angel did the next best thing. She sat down on Gloria's other side and let her know she was there through words.

Before addressing Gloria, Tess turned her attention to Monica.

"Angel girl, what happened? Did Gloria finally tell you what was going on?"

Monica nodded in her former supervisor's direction before turning her attention back to her own case worker.

"Aye. She's gonna be okay. She's just havin' a hard time right now."

"I can see that." Tess said dryly. She turned to Gloria just then, praying the youngest angel would talk to her. "Little angel, what's wrong, little angel? What's the matter?"

Gloria raised her head and made eye contact with her superior. She let out another sob before answering Tess's question.

"I don't understand how someone could hurt an innocent child! And I don't understand why I feel so terrible! My heart feels like it's broken!"

Tess sighed and did the only thing she could think of. She held her arms out to the distraught younger angel. She was surprised when Gloria practically flew into them, clinging on for all it was worth.

The superior angel wrapped her arms around the youngest, securing her in a comforting hug full of nothing but love and compassion.

"Shh, it's all right, baby. It's all right. You're with Tess now, you're okay. I'm right here. I'm not gonna let you go. It's gonna be okay, baby. It's gonna be all right."

Gloria just buried her face in Tess's shoulder as the tears continued to fall. Her sobs were becoming heart wrenching and it broke both elder angels' hearts to see their 'little Gloria so broken.

While Gloria continued to let her emotions out, Tess combed her fingers through her hair and rubbed her back.

As Gloria's breathing started to slow down, Tess began to speak again.

"God gave Humans free will, honey. He gave angels free will too."

"I know!" Gloria sobbed. "But to use it to do something so horrible and cruel to another person-especially a child-it's not fair! Tess, it's not right!"

"You're right, little angel. What Gary did to his children wasn't fair and it wasn't right. Even though it's not fair and it's not right, it happens, baby."

"Sarah must have been so scared!"

"She was. But I was with her. And more importantly, so was the Father. And He will always be with her. He'll help her heal, little angel. Just like He'll help you heal."

"Tess, it hurts so badly! Why am I feeling like this? I can't stop crying… I just feel terrible!"

"That's because you cared about her, baby. And it's not a bad thing."

"My heart feels like it's breaking!" The younger angel confided in her superior.

"It will feel that way once in a while, little angel. But you will heal again. The Father will put the pieces of your heart back together again. All you need to do is ask Him. He will help you heal. The Father will always give us what we need when we need it. It's gonna be okay. Monica and I are both here. We're not gonna leave you." Tess assured her.

"Tess, it hurts! I want the pain to stop!"

"I know it does, baby. I know. And it will go away eventually."

This just made Gloria cry harder. That was the answer she didn't want to hear.

Monica spoke up just then.

"Tess is right. The pain will go away eventually, but not right now. Even though you feel terrible right now, you'll feel much better afterwards. I've been there, so I know. But I promise you, it will get better."

Gloria gazed up and locked eyes with her supervisor-her protector as Monica's words of truth and comfort registered in her brain.

Once Monica noticed she had Gloria's full attention, she repeated her last seven words.

"I promise you, it will get better."

A minute or so later, Gloria turned around and sought comfort from her supervisor and best friend.

Monica pulled Gloria close before combing her fingers through her hair again.

As Gloria started to calm down, Monica gazed at Tess.

"Tess, how can we help her?"

"Just by being there for her, angel girl. That's all we can do. The Father will heal her heart in His own time. Gloria will heal in the Father's time."

Monica nodded. She felt bad for her case worker, but deep down in her heart, the Irish angel knew Tess was right. Everything would be all right in the Father's time.

A few minutes of silence passed before Gloria started to calm down. Her breathing went back to normal and her sobs lessened a wee bit.

Monica noticed first and glanced over at Tess.

"Gloria's calming down." She observed, hugging the younger angel close.

"She sure is. And it's thanks to you. She feels safe with you, angel girl. That's why she's calming down. You're giving her the safety and comfort she needs and it's helping her to relax."

It wasn't long before Gloria fell asleep. She was worn out from crying so much and the day had been a long one for her.

As Monica tucked Gloria in bed a half an hour later, she smiled lovingly down at her.

"I love you, little one. I love you so much. I promise, it will get better." With that, Monica left the room. She was confident that Gloria would feel better soon. All the youngest angel had to do was have faith and let the Father handle the rest.

Gloria awoke a few hours later feeling refreshed. She didn't feel as upset or overwhelmed as before and her heart didn't hurt as much.

As Gloria glanced out at the starry night sky, she smiled slightly.

"Father, please help Sarah find a good home with people who will love her as you love us all. And thank you for putting me in the care of such caring angels as Monica and Tess. I love them so much. Amen." With that, Gloria laid back down and tried her best to fall back to sleep.

As the youngest angel drifted off, she smiled. Monica was right. It would get better in the Father's time. After all, they were all in God's care and there was no safer place to be.

THE END


End file.
